Journey to the East

What does H.H. mean when he says that the East is the “home and youth of the soul” (26)?

Consider H.H.’s remark: “I will be mindful of the first principal of our great period, never to rely on and let myself be disconcerted by reason, always to know that faith is stronger than so-called reality” (52). What role does reason play in H.H.’s journey? How do the members of the group grapple with the concepts of faith and reality?

What is the significance of H.H. stating that he must disappear in order for Leo to grow? 

Why do you believe that the group meets fictional characters in their Journey to the East, including some from other novels of Hermann Hesse? 

What does the Journey to the East symbolize? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

Discuss the Alsatian Necker’s behavior towards H.H. Why did it obey Leo and bark at H.H.? Why might have Hesse used a dog in this instance?

Why was H.H. afraid to read about himself in the archives? 

How did the group fail their test of faith after Leo’s disappearance?